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Take the Lead campaign launches video to encourage responsible decisions

Student leaders share thoughts on alcohol, responsibility

October 15, 2013

Take the Lead campaign launches video to encourage responsible decisions

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Student leaders across University Park are once again encouraging their fellow students to “take the lead” and make responsible decisions about drinking and involvement at Penn State. This time, they have a video to help spread the message.

The Take the Lead campaign, now in its fourth year, features six student leaders from various groups, teams and organizations on campus. In the campaign, the leaders share their advice on how to be responsible and make the most of one’s time at Penn State.

Student leaders share their thoughts on how to stand firm in a decision not to drink, how to make friends without partying and how to be safe downtown, among other insights.

This is the first year the Take the Lead campaign has included a video, which the participating organizations felt could help raise awareness among students. In the video, the student leaders share their thoughts on how to stand firm in a decision not to drink, how to make friends without partying and how to be safe downtown, among other insights.

Katelyn Mullen, president of University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), recalled her decision not to drink. “It wasn’t always easy, but I learned that my friends’ views of me weren’t changed because of this decision,” she said. “Make your own decision about drinking and stay true to your morals and core values.”

Others share insight on how to stay strong if you feel pressured to drink. Ariel Edwards, a small forward on the women’s basketball team, said, “I’ve always felt that if I didn’t want to drink, nobody could ever make me feel like I had to. I think it’s good to be confident and stand firm in your decision.”

Largely student-led, the Take the Lead campaign was initiated to help respond to the number of alcohol-related incidents among University Park students. For instance, in the 2011-12 academic year, 657 University Park students required medical attention at Mount Nittany Medical Center related to their alcohol consumption.

The Take the Lead campaign was created by Health Promotion and Wellness in University Health Services with support from the following student groups: UPUA; Commonwealth Campus Student Governments; Interfraternity Council; Panhellenic Council; Off-Campus Student Union; Student Athlete Advisory Board; Area Residence Hall Associations; and Council of Lionhearts. Contact Jill Nadorlik, UHS marketing manager, for more information about the campaign at jen5005@psu.edu or at 814-865-7921.